whiting



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W L WHIT ING FOLDING TABLE AND TRAY.

No. 568,321. Patented Sept. 22, 1896.

/ FFTW/E r Wand/v HQ. wasnm (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. L. WHITING. FOLDING TABLE AND TRAY.

; No. 568,321. Patented Sept. 22, 1896.

% WA/ELUWLEW/EM/T/INE, 4 M Wm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VVINSLOIV LEIVIS WHITING, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ANN ELIZA NEVERS, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING-TABLE AND TRAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,321, dated September 22, 1896.

Application filed October 25, 1895. Serial No. 566,820. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WINSLOW LEWIS WHIT- IN G, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Folding Tables and Trays; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to secure a new and useful improvement in folding tables that can be used as a tray,- and has for its object greater simplicity, cheapness, and durability, as well as to facilitate the opening or extending the legs from the under side, so as to be easily adapted for a table.

With these ends in view my invention consists of the peculiar features and combination of parts more fully described hereinafter, and finally pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures where they occur, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my improved folding table and tray, showing in dotted outline the rela tive position of the legs when extended. Fig. 2 is an under side elevation, looking upon a reduced scale. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2, having the legs extended. Fig. 4t is a central section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows a modification of my construction.

In said drawings,7 represents the top board, having short legs or stands 8, secured permanently to said board at each corner thereof. The inner sides of the short legs 8 are grooved, as shown at 9, so as to brace the legs 10, when opened out, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, and prevent them from having any lateral movement when the article is being used as a i table. These short legs 8 are brought into use to support the top board only when my improvement is being used as a tray or to rest upon the table or any other article, and thereby preventing the long legs and spring-recep-v 5o tacle from coming in contact with the article upon which the tray rests.

On the under side and about the center of the board is secured permanently to the board cap 11, having a fiat steel spring 12 placed inside of it, and which spring bears near one end against a lug 13 on the cross-piece which connects the two legs 10 for the purpose of holding the legs in either an open or closed position. On the outer side of said cap 11 is secured another spring 14, having a recess 15 for the reception ofthe projection 16 when the leg is extended and the article is being used as a table, said spring serving for the purpose, first, to strengthen the leg, and, second,

to prevent the legs from folding when pressure is brought to bear upon said top board.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction shown, as various changes, modifications, and additions may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I have therefore shown in Fig. 5 one of the diiferent modes of constructing the legs. The legs are here shown as made of wood and connected at their upper ends by a metallic cross-piece having the lug formed thereon. Thesecond cross piece or brace having the projection 16 is also made of metal and secured at its ends to the legs, as shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In a folding table and tray, the top board, the short stationary legs secured to the under side thereof, the two pairs of pivoted legs, provided with lugs 13 and extensions 16, combined with the springs 12 for bearing against the lugs, inclosing caps for the springs, and spring 14: for catching over the extensions, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of October, 1895.

WINSLOW LEWIS WHITING.

Witnesses:

OSCAR A. MICHEL, Gno. H. SoHMInr. 

